The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, left foot and right foot peripheral neuropathy, bilateral knee peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service. The RO is instructed to obtain deck logs from ships involved in the Veteran's service and confirm his presence at sea off the coast of Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicide agents, particularly due to his service aboard ships stationed off the coast of Vietnam. The RO is instructed to obtain additional medical records and confirm the Veteran's in-service experiences for a more accurate assessment.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, left foot peripheral neuropathy, right foot peripheral neuropathy, left knee peripheral neuropathy, right knee peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 15, 2022
- Citation
- 22008580
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 22008580.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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